Swiss Film Archive

The Cinémathèque suisse (Swiss Cinematheque), formerly the Archives cinématographiques suisses (Swiss Film Archive), is a Swiss state-approved non-profit foundation headquartered in Lausanne. It aims to collect, protect, study and present film archives.[1][3] The Swiss Cinematheque has its archives in Penthaz and a branch office in Zürich.

Cinémathèque suisse
TypeNPO[1]
Legal statusPrivate foundation[1]
PurposeCinematheque[1]
Cinematography study centre[1]
National museum[1]
HeadquartersCasino de Montbenon
Location
Coordinates46°31′14″N 06°37′30″E
Chief Executive
Frédéric Maire
Chairman
Jean Studer
AffiliationsInternational Federation of Film Archives[2]
Budget
CHF5 million[2]
Staff
100 (total)
Websitecinematheque.ch/en
Formerly called
Archives cinématographiques suisses

History

With the support of the Kunstmuseum Basel, a group of admirers of independent films[2] founded the Archives cinématographiques suisses (Swiss Film Archive) in Basel in 1943.[4][5]

Subsequently, the Association cinémathèque suisse (Swiss Cinematheque Association) was created.[6] The archives were transferred to Lausanne to the Cinémathèque suisse (Swiss Cinematheque), co-founded by Freddy Buache in 1948 and inaugurated by Erich von Stroheim in 1950.[4][7] In precarious conditions, the Swiss Cinematheque was located on Place de la Cathédrale in Lausanne.[2][6] At the time, it had no projection room.[6]

The Swiss Cinematheque was one of the first members of the International Federation of Film Archives.[2]

Claude Emery was the Swiss Cinematheque's first director until Buache held this position from 1951 to 1996.[7]

In 1981, the cinematheque acquired and moved to the former Casino of Montbenon in Lausanne to establish itself in a better environment.[2][6]

In 1992, the Swiss Cinematheque began to store archives in a Penthaz building.[8]

The Swiss Cinematheque has been considered "one of the ten most important cinematheques in the world" by the International Federation of Film Archives.[8][9]

In 1995, the collection of the Swiss Cinematheque ranked sixth among the most important in the world, after Washington, D.C. (Library of Congress), Brussels (Cinematek), Bois d'Arcy in France (National Centre for Cinema and the Moving Image), London (BFI National Archive), and Moscow (Gosfilmofond).[10]

The Swiss Federal Office of Culture has been the foundation's primary funder with the City of Lausanne and the canton of Vaud.[11][12]

Hervé Dumont was its director from 1996 to 2008.[13][14]

In the early 2000s, a project was initiated to make the Penthaz site the first federal building dedicated to cinema.[8]

Dumont was succeeded by Vinzenz Hediger in 2008.[15]

Frédéric Maire was appointed director in 2009.[16]

In 2010, renovation and expansion work on the Penthaz building began.[8]

Jean Studer, chairman of the Bank Council of the Swiss National Bank and lawyer, became chairman of the Foundation Board of the Swiss Cinematheque on 1 July 2016, thus succeeding Marc Wehrlin.[17]

Filmmakers Jean-Luc Godard and Jean-Marie Straub were affiliated with the Swiss Cinematheque and maintained close relations with the foundation's members throughout their careers.[18][19]

The premises in Penthaz became the Swiss Cinematheque Research and Archiving Centre.[8] It was inaugurated on 6 September 2019 in the presence of Federal Councillor Alain Berset and Vaud State Councillor Cesla Amarelle.[8] The total cost was 50.6 million Swiss francs.[8] Located near Lausanne, in the canton of Vaud, the 13,000 square metres (140,000 sq ft) building properly stores hundreds of thousands of film reels and posters.[20] The archives are grouped on three levels in the basement of the Penthaz centre on an area of 5,300 square metres (57,000 sq ft).[8]

On average, 400 films are donated annually to the Swiss Cinematheque by filmmakers, distributors and collectors.[2] Around 15 to 20 films are restored annually by the involvement of the Swiss Cinematheque's staff, which includes 100 professionals, 75 of whom work full-time, as of 2023.[2] The 100 people working for the foundation are spread over three sites: Lausanne, Penthaz and Zürich.[3] About 50 people work at Penthaz, while the branch office is in Zürich and the seat is in Lausanne.[8]

Holdings

As of 2019, the Swiss Cinematheque holds 700,000 reels, 85,000 films, 10,000 scripts, 26,000 books, 500,000 posters, 2,000 old cameras, 3 million photos and 1 million posters.[3][21] It also includes quantities of documents and other Swiss and foreign cinema objects.[8]

  • Hervé Dumont was director of the Swiss Cinematheque from 1996 to 2008
    Hervé Dumont was director of the Swiss Cinematheque from 1996 to 2008
  • Frédéric Maire, director since 2009
    Frédéric Maire, director since 2009
  • Jean Studer, chairman of the Foundation Board of the Swiss Cinematheque since 2016
    Jean Studer, chairman of the Foundation Board of the Swiss Cinematheque since 2016
  • The Swiss Cinematheque Research and Archiving Centre in Penthaz
    The Swiss Cinematheque Research and Archiving Centre in Penthaz

See also

References
  1. della Pietra, Nicole (13 August 2011). "De la cave de la paroisse à la Cinémathèque suisse" [From the parish cellar to the Swiss Cinematheque]. Swissinfo (in French). Archived from the original on 1 August 2023. Retrieved 1 August 2023. Bottom of page > scrolling table > Cinematheque suisse
  2. Simantob, Eduardo; Pisani, Carlo (28 July 2023). "The Cinémathèque Suisse turns 75, and film lovers can rejoice". Swissinfo. Archived from the original on 1 August 2023. Retrieved 1 August 2023.
  3. "André Chevailler, Monsieur Cinéma Suisse" [André Chevailler, Mr Swiss Cinema]. L'Est Républicain (in French). 21 September 2019. Archived from the original on 2 August 2023. Retrieved 2 August 2023.
  4. Gobbo, Stéphane (30 May 2019). "Freddy Buache, disparition d'un passeur" [Freddy Buache, the disappearance of a ferryman]. Le Temps (in French). Archived from the original on 30 July 2023. Retrieved 1 August 2023.
  5. Marcorelles, Louis (5 November 1981). "L'inauguration de la Cinémathèque de Lausanne. Les enfants de Freddy Buache" [The inauguration of the Cinematheque of Lausanne. The children of Freddy Buache]. Le Monde (in French). Archived from the original on 30 July 2023. Retrieved 30 July 2023.
  6. Dumont, Etienne (28 September 2018). "Pully/Le Musée d'art présente des affiches de la Cinémathèque suisse" [Pully/The Art Museum presents film posters from the Swiss Cinematheque]. Bilan (in French). Archived from the original on 1 August 2023. Retrieved 1 August 2023.
  7. Mandelbaum, Jacques (4 June 2019). "Mort de Freddy Buache, ancien directeur de la Cinémathèque Suisse" [Death of Freddy Buache, former director of the Swiss Cinematheque]. Le Monde (in French). Archived from the original on 30 July 2023. Retrieved 1 August 2023.
  8. "Les archives de la Cinémathèque se dévoilent" [The archives of the Cinematheque are unveiled]. Tribune de Genève (in French). Swiss Telegraphic Agency. 27 August 2019. Archived from the original on 2 August 2023. Retrieved 2 August 2023.
  9. "Ouverture exceptionnelle de la Cinémathèque suisse à Penthaz" [Exceptional opening of the Swiss Cinematheque at Penthaz]. Radio Télévision Suisse (in French). Swiss Telegraphic Agency. 22 September 2022. Archived from the original on 30 July 2023. Retrieved 30 July 2023.
  10. Salvadé, Christine (22 September 2007). "Cinémathèque: L'heure des choix" [Cinematheque: Time to choose]. Le Temps (in French). Archived from the original on 30 July 2023. Retrieved 30 July 2023.
  11. Rocchi, Ludovic (28 April 2015). "La Confédération resserre son étau sur la Cinémathèque suisse" [The Confederation tightens its grip on the Swiss Cinematheque]. Radio Télévision Suisse (in French). Archived from the original on 31 July 2023. Retrieved 31 July 2023.
  12. Danesi, Marco (8 December 2007). "La Cinémathèque cachée sous terre" [The Cinematheque hidden underground]. Le Temps (in French). Archived from the original on 31 July 2023. Retrieved 31 July 2023.
  13. "Cinémathèque: un successeur à Hervé Dumont" [Cinematheque: a successor to Hervé Dumont]. Radio Télévision Suisse (in French). Swiss Telegraphic Agency. 21 January 2008. Archived from the original on 30 July 2023. Retrieved 30 July 2023.
  14. Duplan, Antoine (3 February 2021). "Hervé Dumont, gentleman cinéphile et 'Diderot du Léman'" [Hervé Dumont, gentleman cinephile and 'Diderot du Léman']. Le Temps (in French). Archived from the original on 30 July 2023. Retrieved 30 July 2023.
  15. Salvadé, Christine (22 January 2008). "La valse-hésitation d'un directeur" [The waltz-hesitation of a director]. Le Temps (in French). Archived from the original on 30 July 2023. Retrieved 30 July 2023.
  16. Duplan, Antoine (6 September 2019). "Frédéric Maire: 'Dans une cinémathèque, on réfléchit en années plutôt qu'en mois'" [Frédéric Maire: 'In a cinematheque, we think in years rather than months']. Le Temps (in French). Archived from the original on 30 July 2023. Retrieved 30 July 2023.
  17. "Jean Studer présidera la Cinémathèque suisse" [Jean Studer will chair the Swiss Cinematheque]. Tribune de Genève (in French). 9 March 2016. Archived from the original on 31 July 2023. Retrieved 31 July 2023.
  18. Senff, Boris (30 May 2009). "La lettre à Freddy de Jean-Luc Godard" [Letter to Freddy by Jean-Luc Godard]. Tribune de Genève (in French). Archived from the original on 1 August 2023. Retrieved 1 August 2023.
  19. "Le cinéaste Jean-Marie Straub est mort" [Filmmaker Jean-Marie Straub is dead]. Le Figaro (in French). Agence France-Presse. 20 November 2022. Archived from the original on 1 August 2023. Retrieved 1 August 2023.
  20. "Suisse: la Cinémathèque s'offre un nouveau centre de recherche et d'archivage" [Switzerland: the Cinematheque has a new research and archiving centre]. L'Est Républicain (in French). 10 September 2019. Archived from the original on 30 July 2023. Retrieved 30 July 2023.
  21. "'Ame de la Cinémathèque suisse', Freddy Buache est décédé à l'âge de 94 ans" ['Soul of the Swiss Cinematheque', Freddy Buache died at the age of 94]. Radio Télévision Suisse (in French). Swiss Telegraphic Agency. 31 May 2019. Archived from the original on 2 August 2023. Retrieved 2 August 2023.
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